This Renter Saved Their Apartment’s Original Vintage Yellow Toilet and Tub Without Sacrificing Style

Name: Taylor Jordan and dog, Halston
Location: Twin Peaks — San Francisco, California
Type of home: Apartment
Size: 1000 square feet
Years lived in: 8 years, renting

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: Obviously my primary style is MCM. I tried to apply a similar color palette throughout every room for a cohesive look. The house is mostly a neutral base of greige, black, and medium woods, with brass accents and occasional pops of color like ochre, orange, or teal. The bathroom has the original yellow toilet and bathtub, so the key with rentals is to work with and around the things you can’t change. In the kitchen I changed out the cabinet hardware and backsplash for an updated, modern look.

Like many people, I work from home more now than I ever did before, and my dining room has become my work space during the day. The more I was home, the more important it became to invest in this space and make it feel both invigorating and relaxing.

I love to host cocktail parties, and I think the mid-century modern aesthetic really harkens back to an era when people celebrated that kind of socializing.

From a design perspective, I really tried to keep the bigger, more expensive items within a neutral color palette and lean on smaller things like throw pillows or coffee table books for the color. That way I can change those things as my mood changes over time with relative ease.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or fewer: Mid-century modern

What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is the living room. I probably spend most of my time there, and I tried to make it both comfortable and functional for when I am here by myself as well as when I’m entertaining friends.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Right now I am really loving my Coco Round Smoked Hurricane Candle Holders from CB2. They look so chic.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Make sure your space reflects your point of view, and don’t be afraid to display personal photos or items you collected from your travels, etc.

Also, don’t be afraid of experimenting! My space will never be “finished,” and part of the fun is trying new things, keeping the parts that work, and changing out the parts that don’t.

This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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